The 5.56 X 45mm “Timeline” – 1979

A Chronology of Development by Daniel E. Watters

1979

The US State Department’s Office of Munitions Control returns without action an export license application to send 20 M16 rifles and carbines worth $1,024 to Guatemala.

The M231 FPW is finally adopted for use with the Bradley Fighting Vehicle’s (BFV) six firing ports. Seen as the cure for BMP-Envy, 27,000 are ordered. The M231 retains a 65 percent parts commonality with the M16A1; however, it is full automatic only, firing from an open bolt. Lacking a front sight, it is intended for use only with M196 tracers. A collapsible wire buttstock (FSN #1005-081-4830) is originally standardized for issue with the M231, but these are withdrawn at the last moment. (The supply of these buttstocks appears to have been sold later as surplus.) While the Technical Manual (TM 9-1005-309-10) warns that the M231 should not be used outside the BFV, this advice is known to be ignored, at least during training.

Aberdeen tests the hardness gradient of 5.56mm cases produced by the SCAMP process.

Sterling’s own variant of the SAR80 is submitted for British Army trials.

The US makes a FMS of 100 M203 to Greece. Deliveries continue through 1980.

January:
Field-testing begins for the NATO light support weapon entries. Once again, most of the testing is conducted at the West German Infantry School. Testing continues through June. Entrants include the 4.85mm Enfield XL64E4, the 5.56mm FN Minimi, and the 7.62mm NATO Rheinmetall MG3E (a cropped variant of the MG3, itself a modern version of the WW2-era MG42). The control weapon is the 7.62mm FN MAG58.

SAAMI releases its warning on firing 5.56mm military ammo in a firearm chambered for the commercial .223 Remington.

Villanova University and ARRADCOM publish “Thermal Analysis of Folded Ammunition.”

February:
The US State Department grants an export license to Colt for 15,000 M16, 60,000 thirty round magazines, and 15,000 M7 bayonets for shipment to Indonesia.

Aberdeen’s HEL publishes “Aiming Point Displacement from Firing a Rifle from the Open-Bolt Position.” The displacement of a gunner’s point of aim when firing a rifle from both the open bolt and closed bolt position was measured in dry-fire and live-fire tests. Results of the dry-fire test showed a shift of the aiming point upwards and to the right for right-handed gunners and upwards and to the left for a left-handed gunner. Aiming error dispersions were substantially larger for open bolt versus closed bolt. These effects were more pronounced when firing from the standing position versus firing from the prone position. The time history of aiming error from trigger pull to cartridge firing was measured for the open bolt firings. Live-fire test results were inconclusive due to large round-to-round dispersions of the test weapon, an XM19 rifle.

The British REME reports on NATO testing results for the IW. The ten prototypes collectively turn in a MRBS of at best 97. The results might have been worse as these only accounted for incidents witnessed by REME armorers. The REME had also intervened with constant inspections, repairs, and modifications to keep the weapons running, in violation of the testing rules.

March:
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense informs the US of its plan to transfer ownership of Pusan Arsenal to Daewoo Precision Industries.

The US State Department approves sale of the 40x46mm grenade TDP to Singapore and Thailand. However, use of the data is restricted to study and evaluation purposes only. If Singapore and Thailand desire to begin production, the State Department will require Presidential approval.

May:
The US Army awards a $10,000 contract modification to Colt related to the 1967 Licensing Agreement.

A “Full Development” plan is approved to improve the Enfield Weapon System (EWS).

The US Army awards a $15,000 contract to Okay Industries.

Singapore and Thailand sign LOA for the 40x46mm grenade TDP and fuse primer services. Delivery is promised by the end of January 1980.

October:
The US Army deallocates $11,000 in a contract modification to Colt related to the M16.

Based upon additional NATO trial results, the British conclude that the EWS development should be switched to 5.56mm. In addition, a M16-type magazine should be adopted and the safety switch should converted back to a push-through button design. In the mean time, Phase III weapons are created based on the Phase II pattern, with the exception of chambering in 5.56mm.

The US Army awards a $25,000 delivery order to Colt related to the M203.

November:
The US Army awards a $1,254,000 contract and a $43,000 delivery order to Colt related to the M16.

The British ITDU begins trials to determine whether open sights attached to the SUSAT‘s body could adequately serve as an Emergency Battle Sight.

December:Self-Powered Lighting files a lawsuit against the US Government over the tritium front sight award. As a result, the GAO suspends their protest.

With TGZ’s closure in early 2017, Dean encouraged me to find a new home for my scholarship so it wouldn’t be lost in the dustbin of the Internet. Loose Rounds has welcomed me with open arms. In the future, I intend to expand my legacy TGZ articles and add new contributions here at Loose Rounds.